Figure of the day: men in Russia live 11 years less than women, and this gap will grow

Ivan Zubov

As you know, this week the world population reached the 8 billion mark. First of all, this significant event happened due to the development of medicine, experts are sure. And also, of course, social policy or its absence in each specific country of the world.

At the same time, the increase in the population on the planet is uneven, the poor countries of Central and West Africa are leading in the process of natural growth, while, for example, the countries of Europe or Russia are lagging behind, although for different reasons.

Medicine intervenes in this process mainly where the lives of already born people face the risk of premature death. For example, in low-income African countries, infants die more often, and therefore it is likely that “the life of that same 8 billionth inhabitant of the Earth will end literally in the coming weeks only because he will see the light far away from sources of clean water, vaccines and antibiotics”, - the journalist and popularizer of science Olga Kashubina makes an assumption in her channel.

“But representatives of rich countries, where the population is in no hurry to acquire offspring, more often die at an advanced age: from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, colon cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

In terms of life expectancy on the planet, the Japanese are in the lead , old women from South Korea, Norway, Australia, Switzerland and Iceland breathe into the back of their heads. Old women - because in all countries of the world women live longer than men, and in some countries this difference is impressive. At the same time, the largest gender gap is still in Russia: it is 11 years. It can be assumed that the events of the last 9 months only aggravate it...”, - Kashubina writes.

What's next? she asks. And makes this prediction:

“Apparently, the rapid growth of the human population will continue: by 2050, India will overtake China, and African states will slowly but surely displace Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico from the top lines (Russia, which is now in 9th place, is about to top will fall out).

Good news? Around the year 2100, the growth of the population on the planet will end - provided that until then we will not be destroyed by something like a nuclear war or a global flood. It would be great to return to this post after 78 years to check its relevance - and for the hope of such a scenario, we give medicine one more bow..."